


With You, I Dream

by plantfol



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, cute stuff, i have no clue what im doing, smut?, the usual meet at coffee shop romance, they ardently love eachother, this is my outlet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27534127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plantfol/pseuds/plantfol
Summary: Kate Finley is an ordinary second-year college student studying the arts of English and poetry and making her own way through life at an old college in England. That is until she meets a strange, funny-dressed man, Mr. Fred Weasley himself, and lucky for her, she has caught his attention. And what Fred Weasley wants, Fred Weasley gets.~ This takes place after the battle of Hogwarts so Fred and other characters are a bit older! :)I do suck at summaries but you get the point
Relationships: Fred Weasley & George Weasley, Fred Weasley x Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/OC, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Reader, George Weasley & Fred Weasley, George Weasley & Reader, fred weasley x reader - Relationship, weasley family - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> Oh geez here we go lads,, my first ever work ! I also have this written on wattpad with two more chapters there :)

The scent of coffee filled Kate’s nose as she sprinted through the doors of the small coffee shop on the corner of the stone streets. With the chiming of the doors, a worker greeted her politely. It was a small shop, filled to the brim with small tables and benches with antique paintings with gold framing around the four walls. It was never quite empty, but never quite full either, always having at least one straggler sipping a coffee or one stressed college student doing last-minute homework. Nonetheless, Kate came to the same coffee shop each and every morning, without fail. At first, she had hoped she would meet a lonesome stranger waiting for a romance, however, as she grew and kept arriving for two years, her hopes turned to a more calm feeling as she only went for the atmospheric serenity of it. 

“The usual please,” Kate smiled politely at the same worker who took her order every morning. She had probably looked a mess that morning, no doubt, but she tried to be as patient as ever even only having less than fifteen minutes to get to her first class of the morning. The lady seemed to take notice thankfully, as she had her coffee with extra cream and double sugar out steaming and ready to go in less than two minutes. As she was waiting for her usual blueberry muffin, she took a good look around the shop, trying to breathe in as much of the stillness and scent of old books and coffee as possible before she had to sprint down the street yet again. However, it came to Kate’s attention quite frankly, extremely out of place man in the corner of the shop, staring back at her with as much intensity as ever. 

Kate looked away with red cheeks and a huff. _Odd_ , she thought, as she straightened the plaid brown skirt covering the upper half of her legs. Yes, it was odd, _he_ was odd. She could still sense him glaring her down and wondered if she should just leave the store. 

_No_ , she thought with a shake of her head, _I will not be deterred by some ginger-haired bloke with a sense of fashion akin to a chimpanzee_. Just as she was about to string a sense of quite kind words about his looks, the gray-haired worker tapped her shoulder and handed her the muffin. Kate paid swiftly and, with one last look at the ginger over her shoulder, promptly left the shop. As she was about to cross the street, she peered back through the windows one last time and, nonetheless, he was still looking. 

“What the hell…,” Kate mumbled to herself. Straightening the leather bag with her books across her shoulder she took a step into the cobbled street. As she was turning forward, she heard a loud honk! of a taxi driver and before she knew it, a firm grip was tightened around her arm and pulled her back to the sidewalk. The ringing in her ears and the worrisome glances of passing strangers took her attention for a moment before a hand waving in front of her face brought her out of it. 

“You alright there, love? You ‘ought to be more careful, ‘s cars everywhere in the morning.” His deep voice surprised her a bit, as well as his height. He practically towered over her with a shining smirk and caramel eyes. 

_Caramel eyes?_ She thought to herself, _snap out of it!_ With a shake of her head, she finally spoke, “Yes well nothing some coffee and a two-hour lecture can’t cure.” He must’ve been surprised by the American accent as he took a second to respond. 

“Well, perhaps you owe me something,” his crooked smile and lingering eyes watched her intently for some sort of response. Kate only looked at him warily, after all, it was the same man who watched her quite creepily in the shop. 

He cleared his throat and said, “Y’know for saving you. Perhaps a-,” he was cut off by the sound of a bikers yell barreling past the two. 

Kate spoke properly, “Actually, it was your own decision making and conscious choice that brought you here and while I am dutifully thankful, I do not, did not, will not, and will never owe you anything.” She smiled sweetly. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a lecture on modern-day poetry I simply cannot miss and due to this most splendid interaction, I am now,” she looked down at the brown wristwatch, “6 minutes late.” 

With that, she turned around and walked off, leaving the ginger man most entirely speechless, and most utterly in awe. That would not be the last time she sees him. 

Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation that was getting to her or the overwhelming amount of papers and homework her professors were pouring over her like some scalding coffee. She would’ve never snapped like that at anyone else, nor did she ever think she had it in her. Quite frankly, she was pleased with herself. She was sure to tell her close friend, Bea, who was extremely short-tempered and full of fire about the interaction. She would be pleased to hear it as well. 

Finally, she neared the building of her lecture hall and entered the grand doors leading inside. She walked past the rows of paintings on the wall and prepared herself for the mortal embarrassment of entering late. With a deep breath, she entered the class of nearly one hundred exhausted and drained college students and made her way to her seat. No one paid any mind, however, not even the professor droning about the thematic messages of modern-day poetry and she sat down with a determined look to pay attention.

That proved to be futile as she glared down at her notebook in the annoyance of not having written anything down. Her mind was more so preoccupied with a certain ginger-haired man with a seemingly over-cocky personality and god awful fashion taste. _God, even I could do better than that_ , she thought to herself. Putting her head in her hands, she mulled over the events of the morning and with a jolt, came to a question. The man in question was completely inside the shop at the time of her looking back at the street. However, the moment she looked away _and almost got hit_ , she added to herself, he was immediately right behind her, pulling her to safety. Perhaps she was imagining it, or perhaps she just had a bad memory and was getting jumbled, but she knew there was no way a man could go from inside a coffee shop to the end of the street in a manner of milliseconds. 

As the lecture drew to a close and she gathered her items strewn across the table, she still questioned the mere bizarreness of it all. She practically knew the faces of almost every regular in that coffee shop and a strange man, one she had never seen before, comes waltzing in, staring her down, and seemed to almost _teleport_. She scoffed aloud and shook her head.

_Don’t be so daft, Kate. It was simply a trick of the mind. No more, no less_.

However, even as she walked back to her lonesome apartment at the end of a day full of classes and passed the coffee shop once again, she wondered if she would ever encounter him again. Or if he was even real at all. Perhaps he would disappear like that of a dream.


	2. Chapter II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _second chapter !! Hopefully, I'll have a chapter up per day so enjoy this one!_

The loud ringing of her alarm brought Kate out of her slumber. With a groan, she turned over on her creme-colored sheets and brought the warm quilt closer to her chest. The sunlight drafted in softly and cast a warm glow on her small bedroom. 

Finally rising out of bed, she stumbled down the hall clad in fuzzy socks and an oversized sweatshirt. The heat from her apartment vents did nothing to block the crisp Autumn air out and goosebumps rose across her legs. She hurried to the kitchen and packed a small lunch consisting of a sandwich and a candy bar. Hurrying back to her room to change, she hummed under her breath and got ready for the day. She decided to go more casual today as she only had one class to go to and decided to wear an oversized sweater with funky patterns on it, a black turtleneck underneath, a pair of mom jeans, and her trusty white converse that were really no longer white. She put on some layered necklaces and called it that.

Grabbing her brown leather bag from the couch, she headed out the door and bounded down the steps to the lively streets full of men and women headed to work and college students headed to another dreadful day of classes. Walking down a few blocks and finally turning left, she saw the coffee shop yet again. However, she paused as she grew nearer, almost scared if she would see the same man from before. 

Shaking her head and realizing how stupid she was being, she entered the shop and immediately wandered her eyes all around. As it turns out, he wasn’t even there. 

_See? Completely daft_ , she chuckled to herself. She ordered the same drink and the same muffin and sat down at one of the back tables. The plush red velvet of the seat cushioned her as she held the steaming mug in her hands. Inhaling a deep breath, she brought out _Little Women_ , a classic book she loved to read on repeat. Taking periodic sips from her coffee and small bites from her muffin, she got completely lost in the pages, and, when drawing to the end of a chapter finally looked up from the immersive novel. 

Only then did she reassess the corner shop and, call it fate, but looked out the window just as a certain red-haired stranger walked past to enter. She straightened in her chair as her eyes widened slightly. Even today he was dressed awfully, she noted to herself as she stared at him. As he was entering the shop, she saw him scan the room, making it seem natural. Oh, but she knew better. _Snake_ , she thought as she narrowed her eyes. As his eyes were falling onto her, she ducked behind her book, pretending not to notice him and hiding within the pages. 

She was internally facepalming. Internally dying even. _How is it_ , she thought, _that I would be so unlucky as to witness him yet again_. Her ancestors must’ve been laughing at her from above for _oh what a silly girl, hiding behind a book from a man you don’t even know. All because you’re embarrassed at your attitude_. 

Curse them, truly. Curse her ancestors and curse her luck. Taking a deep breath, she lowered the book and was delighted to see him with his back toward her, ordering god knows what. _Probably straight, dark coffee. Madman_. 

She had decided then that it would be her only opportunity to leave the shop completely unnoticed. So, gathering her book and chugging the rest of the coffee, she stood from the chair and walked as normal as ever to the front of the store. Except for the front of the store is where he was ordering. And the door was right there. She could see it. Almost feel it with her fingers that were gloveless-

 _Gloveless?_ She frowned. _I could’ve sworn I placed my gloves right on the table_ \- and there they were. Sitting on the table at the back of the shop, their white creme knitting and all. She could’ve sworn her heart stopped right then and there. 

She gulped and snuck a look at the front counter, only to realize that the stranger was now turning toward her and done with his order and _oh god this is my only chance_. She walked out. Right out of the shop completely gloveless in the cold weather, but at least she didn’t have to make any contact with him. 

Back out on the cobbled streets, she walked with her head down, not even a place to go in mind. 

“Wait up!” A familiar voice rang out amongst the bustling crowd. She cursed internally and kept walking, hoping to lose him or go unnoticed. That is until she felt a familiar grip around her arm that kept her from moving. A few people mumbled angry curses at them for stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Kate turned slowly and looked up at the familiar red tousled hair and warm eyes. His nose had a small bump on it. _Perhaps he broke it somehow as a child? Probably falling off the swingset,_ she thought. _Cute_. She blinked. _Cute? Cute? No. No this man that stared her down in the morning of a sleepless night and truly believed she owed him something. Men._ She rolled her eyes internally. 

And he was looking at her. Smiling the same crooked smile that screamed mischief somehow. 

She cleared her throat. “Was there something you needed?” 

He gave her a sideways cock of his head, “Well I suppose you never really answered me yesterday.” 

Now she cocked her head. “What?” she asked incredulously. 

“Your answer. I wanted to ask you to go out for a coffee or something. You never got to answer.” His eyes darted away, seemingly nervously. Kate blinked. Never in her two years of living here, nor her entire schooling or childhood had anyone actually ever asked her out. The entire concept was foreign to her. What does one even say? She realized then she supposed that he expected her to say yes out of niceties for saving her. 

She scoffed instead and said, “If you truly believe I would go on a date with you just because you happened to make a rash decision out of the little kindness of your heart, you’re entirely mistaken.” 

“I never said a date.”

“You-,” she was speechless. He was right of course. He had never said date per se, she had assumed. How brash of her. Her mother would be scolding her for a stupid mistake as such. 

Instead, he grinned down at her, “but if you want it to be a date then it can be, as it seems you already said it.” 

“No, no, no!” She was already shaking her head vigorously. “That’s not what I meant. I only said that because- well because you seem like the type to ask that of a girl so stupidly and without thought,” she said as a matter of factly. 

He smirked a bit and leaned down. Kate stepped back, cheeks glowing from what she hoped could playoff as the cold. After a moment of silence, he leaned back up and frowned. 

“I had only assumed you wanted these back,” he said as he pulled out the gloves that Kate had left on the table. She facepalmed to herself. Once again she had stupidly made the wrong assumption of a person. Perhaps he wasn’t so bad. 

She gingerly took the gloves from his awaiting hands, fingers brushing against his, and held them to her chest. “I appreciate it.” She paused and looked down. “Thank you.” 

He had nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. “For yesterday. Thank you for yesterday. And the gloves of course.” She swore her cheeks and ears were glowing. 

He stood for a second before that same grin crept on his face. “My pleasure, love. Perhaps we can,” he balanced from one foot to the other. “Start again?” 

Kate looked at him for a moment. Looked at his caramel eyes and his crooked grin. His bump on his nose and his awful sense of fashion. 

“Okay,” she said, “My name’s Kate, Kate Finley.” She held out her hand. 

His cheeks flushed before he said, “And my name’s Fred. Fred Weasley.” He grabbed her hand and shook it gently but firmly nonetheless. “Pleased to be of your acquaintance, love.” 

If Kate’s stomach erupted in butterflies the moment his hand touched hers, no one would know. Or if her heart flipped upside down by how he said ‘love’ to her, again, no one would know. She knew though. And she knew she would see him again in her dreams, whether she’d want to or not.


	3. Chapter III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mostly reflects Fred's POV :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anotha chapter here we go. As this is mostly for fun on my part, I really appreciate all the readers and such and if anyone has any feedback, positive or negative, I also appreciate that as well !

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. Fred and Kate departed and went their separate days with the promise to meet again and the local coffee shop at which they originally had made their interaction. When Kate had tried to get a form of communication between them, however, all Fred had said was, “Send for an owl.” _Completely bonkers_ , she thought. _Barking mad_.

Upon arriving back at her small apartment, her thoughts were consumed by Mr. Weasley. Was this even a good idea? She had never seen him before and after all, he was quite…

_Odd_. She chuckled lowly to herself. An owl? Perhaps he truly was a murderer stringing her along and using completely made up means of communication to make him seem...seem what? Who would say and come up with such a notion as sending for an owl? 

Kate shook her head and proceeded to lay down on her queen-sized mattress. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she tossed and turned with the questions she had for the strange man before falling into a fitful slumber. 

-+-

Fred Weasley was smitten. Absolutely and utterly enamored by the stubborn girl who seemed to have no filter on her whatsoever. However, he knew deep down he was not deserving of someone to harbor feelings and share his life story. He had much hidden down and suppressed from the war. 

He had decided to come to the town in order to clear his head and heal after the battle months prior. His mind was constantly restless and afterward, plagued by sleep terrors and panic attacks late at night. He couldn’t stand living with his family, with himself, knowing he was causing them so much worry. He saw the pitiful glances every time he flinched from a person’s loud voice or the clanging of pots and pans. He noticed his own mother’s dark circles from the lack of sleep from being awoken by his cries at night. He had to witness his twin brother’s own stress over him. Had to deal with the constant notion that he lost a part of himself that day; his twin lost his brother, even though he was still alive. With a final thought, he had left. He wrote a short letter and a promise to write to his mother and he took his things and left with the hopes of finding himself again.

Upon arriving at his own small apartment for the first time, he realized how truly lonely it would be. Alone with his thoughts almost 24/7. He was almost second-guessing his decision when shook his head and told himself it was for the best. His family would be okay without him for some time. 

After barely touching the small number of boxes he had brought along, he decided to tour the town himself and hopefully find his way back. It was then he came upon the small shop early in the morning of his arrival and decided to head in. Ignoring the greeting of the worker and the stares of the muggles seated at the tables, he sat in the back with his head lowered and swirling thoughts. It was only a few moments later Kate had walked- no more like sprinted in, obviously in a hurry. Perhaps he only noticed her due to the lard noise she had created by stumbling in. He liked to believe it was fate, but the second he caught sight of her, all thoughts of his own darkness came to a halt and the only thing he was thinking of was her. He knew he was staring because she looked at him with an odd look and furrowed brows. He supposed after that he lost himself because it was like he was viewing himself from a birds-eye view. He watched himself as he stupidly apparated from the back of a muggle coffee shop to the stone streets in hopes to pull her away from the taxi driver not paying any attention. 

What he didn’t realize, however, was how quick she was to tell him off. Her voice floated to his ears and sounded like the sweetest honey. Fred was never one for romantics. Sure, he flirted aimlessly back in his schooling days but the only real ‘date’ he’s ever had was Angelina in his sixth year. That lasted one night after she ended up snogging his brother, George in the astronomy tower. So, even when Kate berated him and sent narrowed eyes and sharp tones his way, the only thing on his mind was how much he wanted to get to know her. 

And yet, she did not budge. After telling him off, his thoughts were consumed by her and her alone. Thinking of a plan to see her again and perhaps ask her out for coffee sometime, he came to the realization that perhaps he was not ready for a relationship. Especially one with a muggle and especially one with a muggle like her. Yet again, he was consumed by his dark thoughts and decided to go back to the coffee shop the next day in hopes of only befriending the girl; nothing more.   
The following day, he had arrived at the coffee shop around the same time in hopes of seeing her yet again. In his mind, he knew perhaps his hopes and optimism should not be so high. After all, it was a decently big town and how could his luck be so good as to-

_There_. Sitting- no was she _hiding_ behind a book? He chuckled to himself and ordered a random drink off the menu. Perhaps she was embarrassed about yesterday, though for what he couldn’t understand. It was after he was ordering did he look out of his peripheral and saw the girl reaching for the door. He internally panicked, blindly reaching for her, but it was too late. She was already out the door and walking briskly out on the cobbled sidewalk. His eyes scanned the shop, trying to think of something to do before his eyes landed on a pair of white knit gloves sitting in what he hoped to be her seat. 

In a few long strides, he reached the table and snatched the gloves, and headed for the door. The worker called out a ‘sir’ but it never reached his ears. He was too busy calling out a desperate ‘wait!’ to her as he spotted her chocolate-colored hair in the distance. He was thankful for his height because, at this moment, he used it to reach her in a short amount of time and reached for her arm to halt her walking. 

It was after that encounter and they went their separate ways with a promise to meet up again that he realized that perhaps Kate truly deserved better. He knew this of course, as he stood in the empty kitchen of his small two-bedroom apartment. The dim kitchen light above the island casting a bleak overcast across the room. The cardboard moving boxes strewn to the side mocked him and he wished nothing more than to have his old life back from before the battle. He wanted his shop back and his ability to not flinch every time a firework went off; those same fireworks that brought him so much happiness now filled him with a sense of dread. 

As he drifted off for the night, his own thoughts and dreams were filled with a certain green-eyed girl. Her fiery mouth and quick-witted words filled his very being and promises of tomorrow and forever were jumbled in his dreams rather than the plaguing memories of his nightmares.


	4. Chapter IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Kate and Fred's meeting, she decides to take action and send the first letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay two chapters in one day BAM BAM
> 
> Enjoy :)

Sitting in the draft kitchen of her two-person apartment with a pen and a paper sitting in front of her felt oddly stupid. Perhaps it was because of the sheer fact that she was planning on _actually_ writing to Fred about meeting up and somehow needed to get an owl. She shook her head and placed the tip of the pen to the paper, prepared to write. 

_How should I even start this?_ She looked over to the soon-to-be boiling water for her dinner, then to the small clock on the wall. She’d been sitting here, pen to paper, for thirty minutes, without even a word. Should she be flirty? Stubborn? Witty? She placed her head on the table and let out a groan. 

After shaking her head of her swirling thoughts, she took a deep breath and finally wrote. 

_Dear Mr. Fred Weasley,_  
_I suppose you will be pleased to find out that I am indeed writing to you all whilst feeling like a fool. An owl? Really? I suppose also that I shouldn’t be surprised if this letter doesn’t reach you because, again, an owl? Really?_

She paused in her writing, taking a sip of her tea in a china cup. 

_Moving on, however, I wanted to write to you because…_

Because why? Cursing to herself, Kate rested her head in her hand. 

_Because it’s been two weeks and you haven't shown to the coffee shop since we met. Quite frankly, it’s a bit disquieting and rude. I had finally made amends with you and this is how you repay me? By forcing me to write a letter and sending it to you by owl?_

Kate smirked to herself. _Yes, rude indeed_. In all honesty, she did feel a bit down. Each morning she had arrived at the coffee shop with hopes to see his ginger hair amongst the boring crowd, but as the days wore on and he didn’t show, her hope dwindled. She felt hurt indeed that he would ghost her like this after such a meeting. 

_Even still, I will allow one last chance of this acquaintance. I am proposing a meeting of your choice of time and location out of the kindness of my heart. However, know that my schedule is quite busy being that I am in University. If you do not write back I will assume you never want to speak with me again and only played me, or that the owl was a joke and you actually did not get my letter. That being said, I ardently await your reply._

With those last few words, she exhaled and signed it off with,  
_The girl you saved,_  
_Kate Finley._

Reading it over as she bit her bottom lip, she hoped she got her message across. She decided she had wanted to be clear and concise. If this acquaintance was going to happen between them, she decided she needed to be as honest about her personality as ever. And she thought she got that down pretty damn well. Standing up and putting the letter in an envelope, she truly did question her sanity now. What address does she put? Any at all? 

“I just wrote a letter with not a clue what to do with it now,” she mumbled to herself. Glaring at it in hopes it would spontaneously combust, she narrowed her eyes at it. That is until she heard the softest tapping at her window and nearly jumped out of her fuzzy socks. The window was situated above her tiny sink, a single hanging lamp above it. She squinted and it and just barely made out a form of- 

“Holy _shit_.” An owl. For a moment all she could do was stare at the brown thing as it tapped relentlessly against the glass. Finally, she strode over and lifted the window and it came tumbling in with a squawk. Logically speaking, Kate has truly had enough. Owls weren’t even seen often where she lived and when they were, they were nesting in treetops up above. And even if it was just a coincidence, the owl had arrived almost immediately after she sealed the envelope. 

_What the hell did I get myself into_? She thought as she ran a hand over her face. As the owl let out another screech, she decided to just hand the letter over. Grabbing it from the kitchen table, she hesitantly put out her hand with the letter in it. The owl, the damned thing, snatched the letter and nipped her in the process. 

Kate let out a yelp and before she knew it, the owl was gone, flying into the night sky. Slamming her window shut, she raced to the phone sitting on a small table in the foyer. _Bea needs to hear this_ , she had thought before hesitating. Bea was her best friend, yes, but also how crazy would Kate sound if she retold the story. Bea would laugh and maybe even get concerned for the sanity of her friend. So, she decided against it. Now, walking to the bathroom to get a bandaid for her bleeding finger, Kate wondered to herself if this whole thing was a good idea. 

When she was little, her father left at the age of 11 after a big fight with Kate’s mom for something she didn’t quite remember. Afterward, her mother was never quite the same towards her. She didn’t quite neglect her per se, but the only thing she was worried about was her education and her future. Always, Kate needed to be the best of the best but even after getting the top of her class in boarding school three years in a row, her mother didn’t even bat an eye. Her mother seemed constantly on the lookout as if a flying car would come and take everything she knew away. Kate never quite understood it. 

When she had finally gotten to University, she had met Bea. The only word for Bea was odd. She was always optimistic and, similar to Fred, had a unique sense of fashion. When she first met her, Bea acted as if she never saw a tea kettle in her life. Normal things, like telephones and televisions, seemed to impress Bea beyond compare. When she first questioned the behavior, all she got was, “my parents were quite poor so we never really had all this stuff.” And she left it like that. It made sense, sure, it was a reasonable explanation. While Bea had gotten used to the seemingly new stuff, every now and then she would get startled whenever someone had the radio on or the telephone rang. Even still, Kate decided against it to call Bea about the weirdness in her life. 

Finally settling into bed, Kate drifted off into dreams of owls and talking letters. 

-+-

The following days were filled with much boredom and to Kate’s dismay, no letter. As she walked the streets of her small town, she always kept her eyes open for a familiar mop of red hair, but never saw it. 

Three days passed like this, when on the fourth day, as she sat at her wooden desk with papers strewn about completing homework, a familiar tapping sounded against her bedroom window. Her eyes darted up and landed on the familiar shape of a brown owl. She crossed the room and threw open the window frantically. The owl, rather than flopping inside, dropped a brown envelope and flew away in a matter of seconds. The envelope in question had a rather messy scribbling on the front of her name. She stifled a laugh behind her hand at the handwriting because somehow she wasn’t surprised it was so messy. Sitting on her bed now, she opened the letter gingerly and took out the letter. Only then did she stop to realize that he wasn’t lying about the owl and actually received her blatant letter. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she unfolded the parchment paper and began to read: 

_Dearest “girl I saved”,_  
_You’ll be pleased to know that I am quite delighted at the thought of you being so foolish-feeling. Why I hardly expect anything else. You’ll also be pleased to know that I wasn’t indeed lying about the owl. Owls are quite the messengers, no? The brown one you saw doesn’t have a name, perhaps in our next meeting, you should come up with one. You know, in case we do write again, I would feel bad leaving the poor lad without a name._

Kate huffed a laugh at his childishness and kept reading. 

_Speaking of meeting, I feel quite honored you would give me the choice of location and time “out of the kindness of your heart.” With that, I decided it would be enjoyable to take you out to a dinner then a show. There’s a certain opera I’d like to visit and I simply cannot go alone. The dinner will take place beforehand at a restaurant I am choosing to surprise you with. Dress fancy for the occasion. As for the time, Saturday at 5:00 pm._

Saturday? It was already Thursday for God’s sake! How was she supposed to mentally prepare herself? 

_Don’t worry about meeting me anywhere. I’ll be at your place on time. I ardently await to see you again._  
The one who saved you,  
Fred Weasley. 

Eyes darting across the page, she reread the letter three times before falling back onto her bed and screaming into her pillow. An opera? He most definitely didn’t seem like the type to enjoy operas, but alas, people can surprise. Chewing on her nail, she rummaged through her closet to find anything for two days from now. Panicking, she knew she needed help. She would call Bea Friday and spare the details of the ginger man but ask for assistance in getting ready for her- what was this? A date? It sure sounded like one, but she didn’t want to get ahead of herself. Besides, even in his letter, he showed cockiness. She would not fall for someone like him, no way.

 _No matter how charming he is_. She sighed to herself and flopped back onto her bed. She probably wasn’t going to get her homework done anyways, so instead, she fell into a deep slumber.


	5. Chapter V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date has arrived!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little longer than the last few. Again, feedback is appreciated!

The next day passed in a blur. The weather was getting colder and winter was officially in the air. Kate attended her usual Friday classes consisting of creative writing and composition. With the rest of her day filled with essays and reading due, she hardly had any time to think about the following day with Fred and their plans together. That is, until Saturday finally arrived and she awoke at nearly one in the afternoon with bags under her eyes from the near all-nighter she pulled and old coffee mugs strewn about her small room. 

Kate woke and groggily stumbled her way to her dim kitchen, the morning light peeking through the small window above her sink. Filling a mug with coffee and sitting down to relax, she could have sworn she was forgetting something. However, she brushed it off idly. 

As the day wore on and one pm turned to three pm, she sat at her desk, brows furrowed in deep concentration over what was bothering her. Until a certain piece of parchment caught her eye and with widened eyes cursed loudly. 

“How could I so stupidly forget!” she had exclaimed while sprinting to her phone. Quickly, she dialed the numbers she had practically memorized and in a few short moments of ringing, a soft voice spoke on the other end. 

“‘Yello, Beatrice speaking.” Kate exhaled loudly before replying. 

“Bea, look I don’t have much time to explain, especially not the details, but long story short I have a somewhat date tonight to a fancy restaurant and an opera, which is completely mental but whatever, and I need your help. Like badly. Oh, and it's in,” Kate paused her rambling to look at the clock. “Less than three hours from now.” 

The line was silent on the other end before a loud rustling and a crash could be heard. “I’m on my way,” Bea responded. 

Perhaps fifteen minutes passed with Kate anxiously pacing by the door before Bea threw it open with a large bag of makeup and hair supplies. 

“Well, don’t just stand there! Go to your room, woman! Show me the options!” Bea pushed her way to Kate’s room and threw open the closet, starting to hurriedly go through the very few dresses she owned and haphazardly throwing three options out. Ushering her to change, Kate went through two dresses before finally Bea accepted the third. It was a cream colored dress with small blue flowers embroidered all around, with ruffled sleeves and a deep neck to show her collarbones and went just below her knees. 

Moving on to makeup, Bea had originally wanted to go for a full look, however, Kate easily objected to the idea. 

“For god's sake, Bea. It’s not even a real date. He’s just wanting to get to know me better is all.”   
“Oh yes. Taking you out to a fancy dinner and an opera. Because that’s how you get to know someone,” Bea smirked down at Kate, who huffed. 

“Just finish my makeup, will you?” 

Bea waved her hands and continued to apply the rose blush across Kates cheeks. “So,” she started. “What’s this boy like, hm? You never really mentioned him before now.” 

Kate fiddled with her hands. “Well he’s…,” she struggled for words. “Arrogant at first. I-I mean he still is. Sort of.” She shook her head. “He’s charming in his own way.” At this point, the tips of her ears were turning red. 

Bea scoffed. “That’s it? Tell me more! What does he look like? Does he seem stalker-ish? You know, like Brandon from last year…,” she trailed off, shaking her head. 

Kate laughed a bit before replying. “He’s tall. Like at least six feet.” She tapped her fingers on her chin while Bea finished up her brows. “He’s got brown eyes, like caramel sort of. And he has quite a funky fashion taste.” At this, both Bea and Kate laughed. 

Bea moved on to putting Kate's hair in a low messy bun and curling the loose strands. Kate continued. “He’s got red hair too. A ginger, he is. Oh! And, well I wasn’t going to tell you this because it just sounds so mad, but he had me send a letter to him by- oh you’ll never guess.” Kate was laughing harder now with just how silly it sounded coming from her. “An owl! Can you believe it?” 

Bea’s hands stilled in her hair. Kate looked up at her from the mirror and tilted her head. She had a look in her eye, like she was thinking about something from the past. She would get those often, Kate remembered, especially when sitting in the library or near a fire. She never understood why. But just like that, Bea stopped and continued to do her hair. Furrowing her brows she asked, “Kate, what did you say his name was again?” 

Kate smiled and shook her head, “Well I never told you to begin with. But it’s Fred. Fred Weasley.” 

Bea’s eye twitched slightly and her breath hitched. But she said nothing. 

“Bea? What is it? Do you recognize the name or something?” Kate turned slightly to look at her. 

She just shook her head and smiled. “No. Not at all. He sounds lovely though.” After patting Kate on the shoulder and motioning towards the mirror she said, “You’re all done. Looking absolutely ravishing if I do say so myself. And with,” she looked at the clock. “Merlin! Five minutes to go!” 

“Shit. He’ll be here any second.” Kate sprang from her chair and put on a pair of low red heels. Grabbing a small brown purse from the hook on her wall, she and Bea rushed to the foyer. 

Bea grabbed her by the shoulders and stared her in the eye. “Ok listen and you listen good. You got this. You’re smart as hell and absolutely sexy. Even I would tap that. Got it?” 

Kate nodded with a determined look in her eye. “Yes of course. I got this. And for the last time, I’m not trying to impress the bloke.” 

Just as Bea was about to speak the doorbell chimed and the two friends whipped their heads at each other. Kate’s breathing picked up. “I can’t do this, Bea. Maybe if I just say I’m sick he’ll leave me alone. What if it is a date and I completely blow it. I mean not that I even like him at all but I don’t want to make a fool of myself-,” Bea slapped her. Hard. 

“Get it together girl,” is all she said back. She walked over to the door and opened it, stepping back slightly and eyeing Fred. Now, perhaps it was Kate’s imagination or her panicked state, but she could have sworn there was a look of recognition that crossed over Fred’s face the moment he saw Bea. And just as he was about to open his mouth, Bea cut him off.

“I want her home by 12 pm. No later. The streets get dangerous late at night anyways and now that it’s winter, it gets colder.” Bea lifted her chin and gave him a look of warning. “And if you hurt her, which I will find out, I’ll have your head. Got it?”

Fred visibly gulped and nodded. He smiled cheekily, “Do you really expect so little of me?” Bea didn’t answer, only giving him one last glance before stepping back and allowing Kate to step forward. 

As she stepped forward, Fred held out his arm. Kate only raised an eyebrow in response. 

“What?” Fred said. “It’s called being a _gentleman_ , m’lady.” 

Kate scoffed and hid a smile. “Very well, _gentleman_ ,” she grabbed his arm and hooked hers through his. “Take me away, oh dearest knight.” Fred laughed and together, they walked out the door and down the steps towards the stone streets. 

Back inside, Bea shook her head slowly and closed the door. “Fred Weasley,” she said. 

-+-

The pair walked side by side in the busy crowd in silence for a while until Fred spoke up.   
“I just wanted to say how beautiful you look tonight. N-Not that you never looked good when we spoke but ah tonight especially.” He stuttered a bit to which Kate found rather endearing. 

She smiled and said, “Why thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself. You cleaned up nicer than I expected.”

Fred faked mock offense. “Now what is _that_ supposed to mean?” 

“Oh well I’m merely saying how when I first saw you, you wore such a…,” she trailed off, looking into the distance. “Unique sense of fashion.” 

Fred gasped. “What exactly are you saying about my sense of fashion, darling?” 

Kate’s stomach erupted in butterflies and she laughed behind her hand. “I never said it was a bad thing! If anything it was all very bold.” 

Fred looked at her for a moment while they kept walking. “I’m glad you think so.” 

They kept walking down a few blocks, taking turns here and there, before getting to a brightly lit restaurant with fairy lights on the outside and a few hanging plants around it. Fred stopped them and walked to the hostess desk, stating his name and reservation. The woman at the front looked down before motioning them to wait while she got menus. Fred looked back and found Kate sitting at a bench staring up at the lights hanging above them, completely entranced. 

Walking over, he sat down next to her and wrung his hands together nervously. Sneaking glances every so often, he couldn’t help but notice the way her nose had a perfect curve to it and it was slightly red from the cold. He noticed the star-like freckles just barely dotting across her cheeks and the way her lips were more red-ish from the gloss she probably applied beforehand. 

Kate looked over at him and said cheekily, “Anything in particular that caught your eye?” 

A look of surprise caught Fred’s face before he coughed and replied, “The lights.” He pointed above them. “They’re something yeah?” 

Kate hummed in agreement. “Yes. Quite beautiful.” 

Fred didn’t know what urged him to say it, but the next thing he knew he blurted out, “If you like those, you should see the lights back in my old school. In the dining hall that is, we had hundreds of lights floating above us all the time.” Looking back, it probably was quite stupid to say as Kate replied:

“Floating?” She laughed. “How can lights be floating?” 

Fred internally cursed. “Yes. Ah, well they weren’t actually floating, you see. They just gave off that illusion.” _Well played off Fred. Nice one._

Kate hummed. “Your school must’ve been something then, huh? What was it like?” 

As he was about to answer, the hostess from before called out Fred’s name and walked them to a secluded table in the back. The inside of the restaurant looked just as beautiful as the outside. With lights strung on the walls and through the high ceiling, and tables each with a candle in the middle and so much silverware, you hardly knew what to do. The plates were gold-rimmed and the whole place screamed expensive. Kate didn’t know how she would be able to afford it. 

As if reading her thoughts, Fred nudged her from across the small table. “I’m paying for everything here, so don’t worry about anything.” 

Kate was already shaking her head. “I can’t ask you to do that. It wouldn’t be fair. At least let's split it.” 

“Nope. No. I asked you to come here, therefore I’m paying. It’s not a problem, darling.” 

_Again with that stupid ‘darling’ shit. Doesn’t he realize I’m going to burst if he keeps that up?_ Kate thought to herself. With red cheeks, she nodded in surrender. 

Looking pleased with himself, Fred looked back at the menu and contemplated items on it. Kate snuck up glances at him every now and then. The way he tried to do his hair but some of the pieces were sticking up, slightly messy. How his brows furrowed as he read each item and his lips dipped slightly in a pout. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the waiter asking them if they wanted anything to drink or appetizers. Fred opted for water and Kate for water as well. She didn’t want to seem too much like an alcoholic. And god knows she couldn’t handle her liquor very well. 

As the waiter came back, the pair put in their entrees and sat waiting for them in silence. Kate finally broke the silence. “Fred, tell me about yourself.” She looked at him through her eyelashes and a slightly tilted head.

Fred took a deep breath and chuckled slowly. “Well, what do you want to know?” 

“Anything. Tell me about your family. Childhood, schooling, anything at all.” 

Fred thought for a moment and took a sip of his water before replying. “Well, I have sort of a big family. Got six other siblings-”

Kate cut him short. “Six! My god, that’s so many!”

Fred chuckled and went on. “Yes it is quite a lot, isn't it? I got a twin brother named George as well, y’know. As for my childhood, it was,” he paused. “As normal as any family with six siblings.” 

Kate tapped her finger on her chin. “Alright well, what about schooling? You mentioned you had ‘floating lights’, so I’d like to hear a bit more about this school.” 

“Ah, well it wasn’t much.” Fred coughed into his hand a bit. “Normal uh school with classes and we had this dance one year as well.” 

Kate hummed. “Yeah? How were you in school? You don’t strike me as the academic scholar, no offense.” 

Again, Fred laughed. “You caught me, love. I was indeed most definitely not a scholar. My brother, George, and I were quite the pranksters of our school. We had quite the reputation if I do say so myself.” Fred finished with a smug smile on his face. 

By that point, the food had arrived and the pair were eating.

“Well,” Kate started. “I most definitely am not surprised by that statement. What about now though?” 

“About now,” Fred stared at his plate of food. “Well my final year, George and I dropped out so to say, and started our own business. It’s ah…,” he trailed off. 

Kate looked eagerly at him. “Well? What is it?” 

“A joke shop.” 

Kate had a lopsided grin on her face. “No kidding.” She cut a piece of her steak and chewed on it. “Y’know, I find it quite admirable for you to do something like that. Not that it’s even close to being sane. I mean, you had to think of the consequences if it didn’t work out and the responsibilities. And even then, in your last year? To go that far just to give it up…,” she stopped, realizing she had rambled. 

Fred merely grinned at her. “Do you always overthink every little thing? 

Kate scoffed and replied, “I do _not_ overthink at all. Only sometimes.” She shook her head. “And anyway, when can I see this joke shop?” 

Fred stopped chewing to look at her with wide eyes before swallowing. “Well ah...it’s quite the travel so who knows when…,” his eyes shifted nervously around the restaurant. 

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not doing anything Christmas break then.” She grinned up at him and winked. 

If Fred hadn’t been so blatantly frightened for the future, he would have for sure made a cheeky comment and winked right back. But he had no clue what he was to do if Christmas time rolled around and you were actually serious. 

The rest of the dinner went smoothly. They finished their meals, Fred paid, and arms hooked they walked out of the restaurant. 

-+-

The walk to the theater was short and spent in comfortable silence. Although, Kate had one itching question on her mind. 

“Say, Fred,” she started. 

He hummed in response. 

“Not that I’m complaining per se, but why an opera? They’re quite ah…,” she trailed off, not knowing how to finish her thoughts. 

Fred only laughed and turned to look at her. “Well truth be told, I actually quite hate operas.” 

At this, Kate looked incredulously up at him. “Then why the hell are we going to one?” 

“Well, the fun part comes afterward, when you get to make fun of them.” He grinned that mischievous smile at her. Kate let out a loud laugh and covered her mouth. 

“You’re serious? This whole time I thought you had some sort of secret love for sophisticated operas.” 

Fred only shook his head and gestured to her inside the theater. Inside, it was absolutely stunning, with high ceilings and gold decor all around the walls. There were paintings along the side of the walls and a concession stand near the ticket booth. Even the carpet was a deep red and there were soft murmurs of wealthy folk with fur coats and dress suits lined up and walking inside to seat themselves. Fred came back with the tickets as Kate patiently waited, reading the pamphlet about the show. He held out his hand. 

“M’lady, care to join me inside?” 

“Why yes,” Kate took his hand. “Yes, I would.” 

Walking up the grand marble staircase felt surreal. Kate had experienced much wealth in her life, from the private boarding schools her mom sent her to every year, but this was incomparable. Walking hand in hand with Fred felt something out of a fairy tale, the older folks with lush scarves and sheer gloves staring at the young couple. _Well, not couple couple_ , Kate reminded herself. Just a pair of friends. 

They were seated in one of the balconies, and on arriving, stared out at the gigantic theater in awe. Seems like both had never seen something quite like it. A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling covered in artwork like that of a church. The lush velvet seats they sat in felt like thrones and the stage itself looked over thousands of audience members. As the theater filled up, Fred and Kate sat, talking aimlessly and joking with one another. 

“Absolutely incredible. The way people can afford to come to these once a week.” Kate shook her head in awe. 

“It’s something, isn’t it? I never really got to experience this part of life growing up, to be honest.” Fred looked almost sheepish as he said it. 

Kate was staring at him and nodding along. “Me too.” She turned away slightly, staring at the stage. “Mum used to send me to these private boarding schools for the overly smart or overly wealthy. You either got in by scholarship or your parents paid to have you away.” 

“What about you? I’m guessing you were the smart one then?” 

Kate nodded, eyes going a bit distant. “Top of my class four years in a row, I was. We didn’t have the money to keep me there so I had to put in the work to be able to stay.” 

Fred furrowed his brows. “Sounds…,” 

“Awful,” Kate finished, looking over and smiling softly. “You can say it. It really wasn’t the most fun schooling ever.” 

“Your words, not mine.” 

As Kate opened her mouth to say something, the lights dimmed and an announcer introduced the show to start.

-+-

Throughout the show, Fred and Kate snuck glances and hushed whispers towards each other. Muffled laughter could be heard so often that they got hushed by multiple people. The moment the show ended and each actor was taking their bow, they sprung for their seats, clapping wildly and voices full of laughter. 

“Bravo!” Kate yelled. 

“Well done lads!” Fred also yelled, not taking it seriously. What a sight, the two of them were. As the rest of the audience clapped and cheered, Fred and Kate were full of nothing but giggles and hiccups. 

Stumbling out of the theater, the pair took in deep breaths to calm down from the laughter. 

“Oh, I just couldn’t _believe_ he cheated on his wife with her _brother_!” Kate said in between laughs. 

“Quite the snake, that one is. Imagine his surprise when his wife cheated on him with his own bloody _sister_!” 

The pair finished joking about the drama and started to walk back to Kate’s apartment. It was around 10 pm and the moon was out shining brightly above them. The streets were mostly empty, save for a few stragglers here and there and the street lamps lit their path. It cooled down a considerable amount and the feel of winter was in the air. The short-sleeved dress on Kate did nothing to shield the cold and she had her arms wrapped around her middle to warm herself. 

Fred looked down at her as they were walking side by side and noticed this. Taking off his dress coat, he draped it over Kate's shoulders. “It’s only getting colder and we’ve got quite the walk back.” 

Kate nodded with red cheeks and put the coat on. She was absolutely swimming in it, but she was definitely warmer nonetheless. Fred thought it was absolutely adorable on her. 

After a few more minutes of walking, Kate abruptly paused in her steps and stared at the sky. Fred paused as well and turned back towards her. 

“What? Are you alright?” He looked concerned and also looked up. 

“It’s snowing.” He heard her mumble and when turning back, found her with her hand held out and the softest smile in the world. Soft flurries of snow fell down around them as the first snow of the winter arrived. 

Fred took a moment to respond as he was busy staring at her and only said, “Yes.” 

Kate grinned up at him and repeated, “It’s snowing!” 

Fred laughed. “‘Suppose you like snow then?” His eyes traced over her, breath hitching at how she spun and stomped her feet. The snow around her seemed to dance with her under the watching moon and he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever see something so breathtaking again. 

Grabbing her by the hands, he took her by surprise as he brought her to the open and empty streets. Snow was falling heavier by now and he spun her until they were both dizzy with laughter and happiness. Dancing and leaving their footprints behind them, their voices echoed in the night and for a moment they were the only people on the earth. Running and stomping around in the snow that was delicately touching the stoned ground, they yelled and screamed and laughed until their voices were hoarse and the only thing that could be heard was their breathing. 

And when they looked at each other for the final time that night, they wondered how they could’ve gone their entire lives without meeting. Under the streetlamp and the watchful eyes of the stars, neither wanted the night to end.


	6. Chapter VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So we got some angst finally!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to keep up with the one chapter a day thing but I apologize if I miss a day or two. Schools a lowkey bitch. 
> 
> Feedback is appreciated!

When the night had officially come to an end and they had said their goodbyes, Kate was surprisingly disappointed. She wasn’t used to this feeling of warmth blooming inside her chest, taking up her every being. Closing the door on an awestruck Fred, she sunk to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest. What was this feeling? She felt as if she could tell him anything and everything and they had only met three times. 

On the following Monday, Kate still felt high from the ‘date’. Getting ready, she put an extra effort into her appearance; a little blush and lip gloss, maybe some mascara. Deciding on a plaid pleated skirt with a sweater on top, she grabbed her leather bag and headed down the street. She truly didn’t know why she felt this way as if she was trying to _impress_. For all she knew, she could go the entire day without seeing him. But she just couldn’t help herself. She felt like a little school girl again, with an aimless crush. 

_Crush? Is that what we’re calling this?_ She thought to herself. Never in her life had she ever tried to impress anyone, boy or girl for that matter. But for some reason, she wanted Fred to see the best of her, afraid that she would scare him off somehow with her outright personality. Walking into the college classroom with sixty other tired kids, she sat down and rested her head in her hands. Her mind was elsewhere as she thought about Fred Weasley. Yes, he was a little odd but everyone had their quirks. The way they were able to so effortlessly talk and joke back and forth had her momentarily taken aback. There was no doubt that Kate had a wit to her like no other, but Fred was one of the few people that were able to keep up so to speak. 

Sighing to herself, she hadn’t noticed the snapping of Bea’s fingers in her face. The entire class period had already gone by and Kate sat there looking like a fool. 

“Hello? Earth to Kate?” Bea was bent forward slightly, waving her hand in her face. 

Shaking her head and smiling up at her, Kate replied, “Yeah, yeah. I’m good. All good.” 

Bea gave her that look that said _I don’t believe that for a second_. “Yeah? Alright, hot shot well class ended nearly seven minutes ago and you’ve been sitting there with a dazed look for the past two hours. What gives?” 

“Nothing,” Kate said, shrugging her shoulders and gathering her books. “Just thinking about Saturday.” 

Bea grinned. “Oh? How _did_ the date with lover boy go? I assume good since,” she motioned at Kate. 

Scoffing, Kate stood up from the chair, causing a loud screeching noise across the wooden floors. “Oh palease. It went fine I suppose. Just a normal gettogether.” 

Bea faked a giggle. “You were probably soooo awestruck afterward. _Oh my, how I just love Fred Weasley and his gorgeous caramel eyes. And oh! His quirky behavior and fashion are just perfect for my taste! How I can’t wait to go to his shop to see how successful he is_!” Bea imitated Kate in a high pitched tone. 

Kate burst out laughing but shortly trailed off. “How uh, how did you know about his joke shop?” 

Bea hesitated and rolled her eyes. “C’mon don’t be dumb. You mentioned it to me, remember?” 

“No. I never mentioned he had a joke shop. I merely said how he was tall and ginger.” 

Bea struggled to find words and in a last-ditch effort, hooked her arm through Kate’s and dragged her out of the classroom to the street. “Y’know, I could really go for some pastries from that bakery down the-,” cutting Bea off, Kate furrowed her brows. 

“You’re hiding something from me. I just know it. And don’t think even for a second that I won’t find out.” Walking ahead, Bea and Kate finished their day in unresolved tension. 

-+-

The following days passed rather shortly and Kate was beginning to miss the ginger-haired boy. She was even beginning to wonder if she should send another letter, that is until a familiar tapping sounded against her window at around 10 pm on Wednesday night. Standing from her creaky chair, she eagerly threw open the window and marveled at how the owl dropped the letter and flew into the night sky without hesitance. 

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she gingerly opened the envelope and pulled out the parchment paper inside. Perhaps he wants to meet up again? Maybe even go on another date. Steadying her breathing, she began to read.

_Dearest Kate Finley,_

_I am writing to you with utmost disappointment and apologies, however, I don’t think this friendship can continue to occur._

Kate paused. She read it over. Once. Twice. Blinking, she kept reading.

 _It’s most difficult to explain the reasonings, but just know I was not emotionally prepared for any type of relationship and I unknowingly and unwillingly strung you along. For that, I sincerely apologize. I truly did enjoy our limited time together, especially the dancing, and I hope you realize what a lasting impression you’ve made on me; in a good way of course._

_That being said, I again, apologize for any pain or confusion I’ve caused you and I hope we can both look back on our special night together with gladness, rather than sorrow._

_To be quite honest with you, that night was the first night I truly felt alive again. You see, you may not have known at the time, but I’ve been going through some difficult challenges in my life and every time I saw your glowing face and heard your clever tongue, it took all my pains away. For that, I thank you. You’ve unknowingly caused so much joy in my life with just three meetings._

_I hope you can forgive me for my fear of confrontation about this subject and hope you can understand._

_Yours,_  
_Fred Weasley._

Nothing. Nothing is what she felt when she read the letter over three times. Staring blankly at the words that seemed to float up and mock her, empty tears filled her eyes but didn’t dare spillover. 

_Fine,_ she thought. _We only just met anyway. It’s fine_. And yet, it wasn’t. The night they shared jokes and laughter wasn’t just a dream. They had only just met and yet made such an undeniable connection. Call it sparks or anything, but it was _undeniable_. 

She shouldn’t have been as surprised as she was. She had been internally expecting and preparing herself for something like this eventually. It always happened to her, but never this soon. Never this painful. She should’ve realized her personality would scare him off. Something about Kate always scared people off. Where did she so ardently _fuck up_? Did she overshare? Was she too joking about certain topics? 

With these thoughts plaguing her mind, she sank to the foot of her bed and let silent tears flow. Crumbling the letter in her hand and throwing it across the room, she shut her eyes. Why, why, _why_? Minutes passed of her staring at the floor blankly until she finally stood from where she sat and crossed the room to her desk. Grabbing a piece of parchment paper, she herself began to write. 

_Fred Weasley,_

_I’m pleased to inform you I got your letter. I also have decided on the name for the owl. ‘Malum nuntium’, or ‘mal’ for short. I suppose if you still care enough or if you’re at all any interested, you would take the time to look it up. If not, I could just tell you._

_But that’s not what you want to hear from me, is it? To be honest, you probably weren’t expecting anything at all. That’s not who I am, Fred Weasley. I don’t cut someone out of my life because I believe myself emotionally unworthy of them. But I suppose you can._

_I accept your letter, and I forgive you for your confrontational issues. However, I don’t forgive you on the accord of your so little reasoning. If you choose to never speak to me again, then I suppose I’ll have to deal with being left in the dark, and that’s fine. But, if your reasoning only consists of you being so insecure or emotionally unstable, then I must disagree with this arrangement. It’s hardly a friendship if communication isn’t present, no? I’d like to think I’m a decent person, a friend even, and I understand if you don’t want to talk to me about your issues. However, I think it’d be best for you to at least voice how you're feeling so I can help. Because believe it or not Fred, I’d like to._

_I enjoyed our time together and had hoped you felt the same way I did. That is, more time together would not necessarily be unwanted. I hope that the next friend you have, whoever they are, are able to be so welcoming as that you are able to talk to them comfortably. I’m sorry I wasn’t._

_Even so, I wish you the best of luck in your life and your troubles and pains are mended. Since I suppose this will be my last letter to you I should say what I feel. How strange is it that the Universe be so cruel as to place two souls perfect for friendship right next to each other, at the wrong time._

_Good luck with your joke shop, Fred Weasley._  
_With love,_  
_Kate Finley._

Yes, it was long, but it was greatly needed. Cracking her knuckles and neck, Kate stretched her arms above her head and tucked herself into her covers. Closing her eyes, she drifted off into a dreamless slumber. 

-+-

Fred was upset. He had a right of course. When Bea had sent him a letter explaining that he had to understand that complete honesty was needed in order for a relationship to work out between him and Kate, he faltered. He questioned himself completely and once again, those dark thoughts drifted into his mind. 

How would this even work? Not only was his mind plagued constantly by nightmares and repressed memories, but he couldn’t just explain that to Kate. He couldn’t even begin to explain the proportion of the magic world to her. She didn’t deserve his issues nor burdens. 

So, he stared at the parchment filled with words he already regretted and sent it off. It was only fair to her that he did this. In those empty days, he filled his time with aimless things. Organizing and reorganizing items in drawers and cupboards, learning to cook and do things the muggle way. Oh, and his favorite, watching television until the hours of the night would draw to an end and another night passed where sleep was avoided. He wasn’t ready to go back home. Not yet at least. The fireworks he imagined would still be too much and every time he closed his eyes, he kept seeing his family's pitied glances and worried stares. 

However, into a few days of that aimless boredom and sleepless nights, a familiar blob of brown appeared at his window carrying a familiar cream-colored envelope. With shaking hands, he ripped open said envelope and the folded letter inside. 

Reading it, a feeling of immense... _stupidity_. It was pure stupidity is what he felt. He was stupid to believe someone so stubborn and true like Kate Finley could merely disappear from his life without a trace left behind. Rubbing his hand across his face, a manic type of laughter bubbled up his throat. How was it that he got so lucky as to have met a girl giving him a second chance? Even in her letter, he could hear her scoffing tone and see her smirk. He could envision the way her arms would cross and she would say something like ‘don’t be so silly, Fred. We’re in this together.’

Tucking the letter neatly on the kitchen table, he allowed three more days to pass. Bea’s words still echoed in his mind and he couldn’t risk losing someone like her. Biting his fingernail, he stared long and hard at the letter that offered him a chance. Would he blow this chance? How could he fix something like this? 

He knew he needed to start over. With full and complete honesty. Taking a deep breath, he snatched the letter and stuffed it in his coat pocket. With long strides, he rested his shaking hand on the doorknob to the open street and turned, opening the door to the fear of honesty that awaited him. Burdens be damned, he wasn’t about to let this stubborn girl slip from his grasp.


End file.
